In Wiltshire, UK, 2003, a pilot scheme for what is now known as "Talking CCTV" was put into action; allowing operators of CCTV cameras to order criminals to stop what they were doing, ranging from ordering subjects to pick up their rubbish and put it in a bin to ordering groups of vandals to disperse. In 2005 Ray Mallon, the mayor and former senior police officer of Middlesbrough implemented "Talking CCTV" in his area.[1]

Systems in Middlesbrough, West Bromwich, Redbridge,[2] Manchester and Nottingham [3] were implemented by Complus Teltronic Ltd using switching, telemetry and control room interfacing control systems from Synectic Systems Group Ltd a market leader in public area CCTV control systems.

The move has already received critics, dubbing the idea "Big Brother gone mad"[4]